What’s a Quetzal? Find out in Where’s the Quetzal? An amazing new mystery by Jen Dodrill

I adore cozy mysteries and Jen Dodrill’s second book in her Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery Series doesn’t disappoint. Here is peak at the premise of the book:

Peg Howard has planned the perfect baby shower for her oldest daughter. But the return of Estelle and Roger Keaton disrupts her peace, reigniting old mysteries.

A chance discovery of a centuries-old shipwreck sets off a chain of events, thrusting Peg and her friends into a perilous game of deception. As they unravel the mysteries surrounding a rare quetzal bird, they uncover a plot that threatens their very lives.

With Detective Marcus Sharp and her mother-in-law Hazel by her side, Peg races against time to solve the mystery. But as she digs deeper, she realizes that some truths are better left buried.

In a tale full of twists and turns, Peg confronts her deepest fears, facing an adversary more cunning and unexpected than anyone anticipated. Join Peg and her friends on a journey through intrigue and peril, where bonds of friendship and family may be their only salvation. Will they uncover the truth before it’s too late, or will the past come back to haunt them all?

Jen was kind enough to answer some questions for us which are featured below:

What are you working on right now?

No Egrets, Book #3 in the Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery Series. The writing is slow going and I don’t know why! That’s how it goes sometimes though. This book wraps up the series, so I have some choices to make on how it ends and who the main character chooses to have in her life. No pressure, right?!! Seriously, I’ve loved this series, not just because the first book was my debut novel, but because it’s set in Pensacola. I lived in Gulf Breeze, FL from 6^th grade on and then attended college in Pensacola, so this series is like going home for me every time I sit down to write.

Tell us about your next writing project.

After I finish No Egrets, I will work on a novella for a novella collection coming out in the fall of 2026. I wrote a romantic suspense novella collection – Trinity Sands Beach Club – with Deborah Sprinkle and Sharon Carpenter that releases this summer, and we loved our characters so much we’re continuing their journey!

How do you relax and recharge when you step away from writing?

My husband and I are empty nesters, and my favorite part of the day is when we eat dinner and relax together. In the summer I get in our pool and after I clean it and maybe walk some laps (the pool is round), I float while I listen to music.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go and why?

I really want to go live on the coast of Scotland for a month (at least). Just become a part of the community. Maybe write a cozy mystery while I’m there. Why? Because of two things: books I’ve read that are set there and because of the Scottish accent. 😉

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?

Probably Tigger for his boundless energy. I feel like Winnie the Pooh more often than I’d like!

Is there someone who inspired your writing?

My mom and my dad. Mom was a librarian for over 40 years. Beyond that though, she loved reading, and I still remember her reading Artie and the Princess to me while I took a bath. Probably the only way she got me to take a bath! We still discuss books although her memory is fading. My dad was more into non-fiction, but he was always reading something. He wrote in his books, which I used to think was bordering sacrilege. Now it’s something really cool that we can read his notes even though he’s gone.

Describe what you feel is the hardest part about writing.

This book #3 has been so hard. Like I said I’m not sure why, but for me I think it’s the starts and stops. I visit my mom in Florida every six-eight weeks, and that throws me off. She is 88 ½. I love visiting her, it’s just hard to get back in a rhythm. Besides that, I can come up with ideas and get those first chapters going, but then there’s that middle! Ugh! I’m not a plotter, so that middle takes some extra time. And yes, I’ve tried plotting. It’s not going well!

What do you find is the greatest blessing of being a writer?

Hands down, the greatest blessing is the other writers I meet. Writing in the Christian world, writing with other Christians, is a huge blessing that I never imagined.

Is there a genre you’d consider in the future that differs from that/those you do now?

So far, I’ve written cozy mysteries and the romantic suspense novella. I also have a women’s fiction waiting in the wings. Beyond those, no, I think these are my favorites.

Which book or book series have you recently enjoyed reading?

I’ve been reading Dawn Ford’s Band of Unlikely Heroes series. They’re so good! If you ever told me I’d love to read fantasy, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Who are your favorite authors?

There are so many. In secular books, I love Greg Iles’ books and Stephen King. His 11/23/63 and the Mr. Mercedes trilogy especially. In Christian fiction, I love your books, Ellen! Dawn Ford’s like I said. Deb Sprinkle’s. I read a lot, and I read fairly fast, so this is a tough question. Mostly I like mysteries, suspense, twisty psychological stuff. Oh, Jessica Patch! She’s great.

What’s your best advice for other writers?

Find like-minded writers. They don’t have to write what you do, and it’s probably good if they don’t. Learn from them, pick their tired brains. Attend conferences in person, if possible, because there’s nothing like an in-person event. Join a good critique group or two.

Any thoughts you’d like to share with readers?

My heart is to write books for “women of a certain age.” My goal is to offer my readers humor and lots of hope. The world is broken, but in Jesus we have hope.

A bit of background about Jen:

Jen is living out her dreams on the pages of her books, bringing readers compelling stories of inspiration and hope for good times and bad.

Her family-focused novels depict her values of cooperation, connection, compassion, and community, demonstrating the importance of helping one another brave the waves of the world together.

As a mother of five, family life and travels have left her with decades of stories to tell, and she cherishes the time she has now to tell them, in between her honored role as Grandma, her passion for reading, and her adoration of all things coffee.

Her first book, Birds Alive! An Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery was released in 2024. Book #2 in the series, Where’s the Quetzal?, was released February 25, 2025. Book #3, No Egrets, will be published in 2026.